Comm No 0021.042 - Testimony - CA-7 - PONC fund and Maintenance fund

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From: Ann Kobsa <ann.kobsa@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, January 8, 2019 10:31 PM To: Charter Commission Subject: Protect PONC Aloha Members of the Charter Commission, I am writing in support of PONC acquisition, preservation of lands in general, and the will of the people. The people of this island have 3 times exerted our will by voting overwhelmingly for preservation of special lands via PONC acquisition. This is a very important program, as there is not enough land that is protected from development and accessible to the public. Over and over I have witnessed Conservation District lands on the coast of Puna destroyed by bulldozers and covered by development. In fact, I have not seen a Conservation District Use Permit for coastal development denied. Do not believe that land in Conservation is protected. The perpetuity clause for PONC acquisitions is crucial to its success, as matching funders will not contribute to land purchases if they are not forever, and nonprofits and community members will not be so inclined to invest in caring for the land if the County can sell it at will and snatch the money for the general fund. The maintenance fund must also be kept intact as there are many threats to ecosystems from invasive species, which, if not managed, will overrun all lands. Charter Amendment 7 is a very bad idea. Please cease and desist from trying to raid the PONC fund. The people have made our will abundantly clear: We want land that is important to us protected and cared for, and we are willing to pay for it. If there is a need for more revenue in certain budget categories, such as disaster relief, please consider a special fund for that instead of raiding the PONC fund. Perhaps the Salary Commission should be asked to make some cuts to administrative salaries that were recently increased. I don't take many days off, but on New Year's Day I visited Kawa Bay in Ka'u for the first time since it's PONC acquisition. It was so beautiful and the care that is going into its management was evident. Invasive species had been removed, native plants had been planted and labeled with hand -painted signs that gave information about each one. I didn't see a single piece of trash on the shoreline, remarkable anywhere in the world these days. Motor vehicles were being kept out (a very good thing), garbage receptacles were being emptied, there were clean picnic tables and the beach was full of people enjoying nature and each other. It was really inspiring. I nominated a special coastal area in Puna for PONC acquisition, a place that inspires me and that deserves preservation. I sincerely hope that the PONC fund will survive to purchase many such deserving lands. Mahalo for your consideration, Ann Kobsa Koa'e, Puna 1 Comm. No. 21.42